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Back The Couple at Number 9: a Novel
Chapters (71)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part One
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. Part Two
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. Part Three
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. Part Four
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Acknowledgments
  68. About the Author
  69. Praise for Claire Douglas and The Couple at Number 9
  70. Also by Claire Douglas
  71. About the Publisher

‘Yes. He’s formidable. I’m not gonna lie.’ His wife is being diplomatic. Even Jen’s effusive and bubbly personality couldn’t win his father over. He’s never told Jen this but after he first brought her home his dad said she was common. It was the only time Theo had stood up to him after his mum’s death. He told him he loved her, and if he ever heard him say or do anything nasty to her he’d never speak to him again. His dad had looked shocked, then muttered something about it not lasting. But here they were, five years later and married for the last three.

‘He won’t tell me the truth. Dad should have been a politician.’

‘There must be someone you could ask. I know your grandparents are dead, but . . . a cousin perhaps?’

He takes his wife’s hand and they walk out of the cemetery together. He doesn’t know his cousins. It’s hard for Jen to understand because her family is huge and they all get on. ‘I’ll start by asking him. And if he doesn’t give me what I want, I’ll find out for myself.’

‘Good. And I’ll help. It will be a distraction.’ She smiles but her eyes are too bright.

It feels as if someone is squeezing his heart. ‘Jen . . . we could go and see someone. Get some tests?’

She shakes her head, a blonde curl falling into her eyes. ‘Not yet. I’m not ready to face that yet. Let’s just wait for now.’

He kisses her hand in response, his mind already slipping back to his father and the newspaper article. Tomorrow, he vows. Tomorrow I’ll find out who my dad is looking for, and why.

10

Lorna

IT’S TOO DARK AND QUIET, AND LORNA IS FINDING IT difficult to sleep on the hard futon, knowing her daughter and her boyfriend are on the other side of the wall. She still finds it difficult to get used to the thought of her only child having sex and now carrying a baby. A baby. She can’t believe she’s going to be a grandmother.

She misses the sounds of San Sebastián – the occasional laughter and screeches of teenagers, the thrum of music from a neighbouring tapas restaurant. The comforting noises of city life, not this God-awful silence. Then her mind wanders to Alberto. She turns onto her side and reaches for her phone on the pine bedside cabinet. It’s gone midnight. Spain is an hour ahead. She expects he’ll still be at the bar, the proverbial night owl.